Tuesday, August 18, 2009

To-Be List

Does your to-do list keep growing like mine? It seems that I check off three items and five more pop up! Yes, some are short timers like balancing the check book, but even that can draw itself out to being a long project if things don't go as planned! Others are the type of projects that last for months and seem to add lots of small items to the list.

Today as I began to check off a few of the waiting list items, I thought about my attitude and the character within me that makes a difference in what and how I do the things I do. I found myself listing the things i wanted to show the world through my work. I call it my to-be list.

I want to be kind, generous, loyal, faithful in the little things, loving and patient among many other virtues. The interesting thing about a to-be list is that the items listed should never be checked off. They should remain constant and lived out day to day!

It is only through a daily relationship with God that I can fall into bed thanking God for all I accomplished and all He accomplished in and through me to-be and to-do!

Holy God, my Father in Heaven, You deserve my praise and thanksgiving ! You walk me through each day offering me Your Spirit to plant the seeds that grow into my to-be list. I know this is the list You are most concerned about in my life, but You graciously allow me a to-do list to satisfy my longing to have purpose and a place in Your kingdom! Thank You for making me Your own, and for having a plan for my every day! You are awesome, Lord!

2 comments:

Connie said...

I also make lists which I promptly put in that special place, you know the one that you can never find again, well they work that way for me. I expect to be cleaning out a closet or drawer some day and stumble over forty years of lists, by then they won't matter. I have often wondered if the real merit of making a list is to appear to be accomplishing something.

Making a To Be List can not fall into the category of either busyness or accomplishment. If I am to make a state of being list there are some things that God and I will have to chat about such as, what does He see as my shortcomings. I think I’ll just go ahead and say OUCH early on. He and I may not have the same list, and I’m not hopeful that He is as forgetful as I am. I think I know what I’d put on my pre-conversation list, beginning with honesty. Now I’m not absolutely sure that would be His first choice for me as we are still in the pre-conversation stage; however I do have a sneaking suspicion it might not be. He might be more interested in patience being on the list, certainly a more difficult and time consuming little fruit, it fits nicely with love, the one that looks easier than it really is. Perhaps the art of gentleness, one that just pops to mind when others think of me.

My post-conversation list “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23

Unknown said...

AMEN!! Beautifully said and I am right there with you, Connie!